Combined golf ball position marker and carrier



INVENTOR.

W5 Trams/5.

Feb. 8, 1966 'r. E. LUDWICK COMBINED GOLF BALL POSITION MARKER AND CARRIER Filed March 27, 1964 WW {M43 Thomas 5 Lad /0k United States Patent 3,233,802 CGMBINED GGLF BALL POSITIGN MARKER AND CARRIER Thomas E. Ludwick, 140 S. 27th St, Lincoln, Nebr. Filed Mar. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 355,229 Claims. (Cl. 224-5) This invention relates to accessories for golfers and refers more particularly to an article which provides a convenient means of carrying and making available an object for temporarily marking the position of a golf ball on the green when an occasion therefor arises.

As is known, during the course of a round of golf, it is usual for each player to pick up his ball once he arrives on the green, either to remove it from the path of a ball further from the cup or for inspection and cleaning, or both. On these occasions, the position of the ball must be carefully marked before lifting it so that the ball will be returned to exactly the same spot. Perhaps the most usual marker employed is a coin, for example, a ten cent piece. Special markers are also known, these being in the nature of small plastic or metal items distributed as advertising premiums by interested companies and individuals.

As any golfer knows, however, not infrequently it happens that no coin of the proper size or special marker is being carried when leaving the first tee. Or, if a coin or marker is being carried, normally it is buried in a collection of other coins, tees and miscellaneous items in a pocket. In either event, confusion and delay often takes place while coins are being transferred from player to player or being dug out and separated from the miscellany.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide an item for golfers which can easily be carried by the golfer during the course of the play and which maintains one or more easily handled position marking elements in readiness for use in marking the position of golf balls on the green. It is a particular feature of the invention that the marking elements are carried on the exterior of the golfers clothing and that they can be reached and removed for use without fumbling in pockets and even, if desired, without removing the golf glove.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described in which replacement of the marking elements following use is an extremely simple matter. There are no slots or pockets into which the elements must be carefully inserted. Instead, they can be returned to the carried condition entirely by. feel. This object is achieved, however, without sacrificing a positive connection between the marking element and its carrier which is sufiicient to withstand the rigors of the golfers movements during play.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which can be produced at low cost and which lends itself particularly well to employment as a promotional premium or specialty item. The design provides considerable area which is available for imprinting of advertising material, not only on the carrier but on the marking elements as well. Moreover, the item can be produced at relatively low cost on a mass scale.

Other and further object of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views;

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the waist portion of a typical golfer and illustrating one of the ordinary positions in which a preferred embodiment of the invenice tion can be carried, the marking elements themselves not' FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG; 3 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55" of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, the main component of the" preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a carrier member 10 which preferably is molded from a suitable synthetic resin, for example, a high density polyethylene or polystyrene. The carrier member comprises a main body portion 11 having the reduced thickness upper portion 12 which terminates in a reversely bent downwardly extending leg 13. The leg 13 forms'with the back of portion 12 a slot 14 having a narrow entrance throat between the lower end of the leg 13 and the upper back portion of the main body. As shown, preferably the lower end of the leg 13 is bent slightly away from the main body as at 13a to provide a flared approach to the throat. A pair of buttons 13b is formed on the inside of leg 13 near the lower end thereof to assist in providing'a tight hold when the clip structure formed by the leg is engaged over a belt or pocket edge.

Preferably the lower portion of the main body- 11 is made of greater overall width than its upper portion 12 and takes the general outline of two circular members placed side-by-side and merged into one another and into the upper portion 12. Formed in the front face of the lower portion are two recessed areas 15. In each case the recessed area is partially surrounded by a shal low wall' or rim formed on' a radius with a common center with the circular portions earlier mentioned. The rim or wall 15a terminates at ends 15b, 15c to provide an opening on the lower edge of the recess. The surface area 16 between the rim ends 15b, 15c is, in each case, flush with the area 15.

Imbedded in the main body portion 11 is a permanent magnet in the form of a bar 17. The bar is preferably rectangular in cross section and is located symmetrically with respect to areas 15 so that a substantial portion of the bar extends across each recessed area. The outer face of the bar is exposed but flush with the surface of areas 15.

While only one is shown, normally disposed in each recess area 15 is a circular disc-like element 18 having a radius slightly less than the radius of the recess so that it can seat therein. The elements 18 are composed of magnetic material, for example, a Zinc iron alloy and when seated in the recesses are firmly held therein by the magnetic attraction of the bar 17.

It is important to note that the distance between ends 15b, 150 of each recess rim is slightly greater than the diameter of the disc element 18. Furthermore, the lower edge of the surface 16 between the ends 15b, 15c should be sufficiently close to the bar that when a disc element is slid downwardly through the opening between the rim ends, the edge of the disc will clear the lower edge of the carrier before the disc clears the magnet.

In use, the carrier 10 with an element 18 in each recess 15 is attached by means of clip leg 13 to the belt or shirt pocket of the golfer. It is illustrated as attached to the belt in FIG. 1. Whenever a marking element is needed, it can be removed from the carrier simply by sliding it downwardly between the ends 15b, 15c of the rim on surface 16 until the lower edge clears the bottom of the carrier. The fingers can then engage the edge of the element and pull it away from the magnet. Once removed, the disc element can be placed adjacent the ball as is the procedure with coins.

The element can be replaced on the carrier simply by returning it to the carried position. The provision of the recesses permits replacement by feel alone, the rims of the recesses providing guides which assist in centering the disc element in the recess.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabo-ve set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent in the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. An article for golfers comprising, in combination, a carrier member having a front face and a reversely bent clip structure, a permanent magnet secured to said carrier member with portions thereof adjacent said front face, said front face including a shallow recess having only a partial rim therearound whereby to provide a side opening to the recess, and at least one flat thin position marking element composed of magnetic material lying adjacent said front face releasably held in place on said carrier member by the magnetic attraction of said magnet, said partial rim around said recess defining a front opening to said recess, said front opening having a circumferential shape and size greater than that of the said element Whereby said element can be entered into said recess through said front opening, and said side opening having a width slightly greater than that of said element whereby to permit sliding displacement of the element from a central position in the recess through said opening and away from said magnet.

2. An article as in claim 1 wherein said magnet comprises a bar magnet imbedded in said carrier member with one side of the bar exposed adjacent said face.

3. An article for golfers comprising, in combination, a pair of thin circular disc-like elements composed of magnetic material and a carrier for said elements,

said carrier including a main body having a front face subdivided into a pair of circular zones of at least equal diameter with said disc-like elements,

said zones each provided with a raised rim partially extending around the periphery of the zone,

each said rim defining a front opening to the zone of greater diameter than the disc-like element whereby said element can be entered into the zone through said front opening, each said rim further interrupted to provide a side opening having a width slightly greater than the diameter of the disc-like element to permit sliding of the disc-like element from a central position in a zone through said opening, permanent magnet means carried by said main body and positioned to magnetically attract and releasably hold said disc-like elements in said zones, and

said carrier further including clip means for attaching said carrier to a support.

4. An article as in claim 3 'wherein said permanent magnet means comprises a bar magnet imbedded in said main body and having portions of the bar on opposite sides of the longitudinal mid-point of the bar flush with the surfaces of and running across the zones.

5. An article for golfers comprising, in combination, a carrier member composed of resiliently deformable plastic and having a main body providing a front face and a back face and a clip portion formed in a reverse bend along the back face, said main body having formed in the front face thereof two laterally spaced recesses which each have a side opening on one edge, a bar magnet imbedded in said main body and arranged symmetrically with respect to said recesses whereby tolocate a portion of the bar in each recess adjacent the base thereof, and thin elements of magnetic material, one in each recess, each element releasably held in said recess by the adjacent magnet portions, each said recess having a front opening of a circumferential shape and size greater than that of said elements whereby said elements can be entered into said recesses through said front openings, and each said side opening having a Width greater than that of said elements whereby to permit sliding of the elements from a central position in the recesses through said side openings and away from said magnet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 986,158 3/1911 Florsheim 2245.5 1,627,145 5/1927 Breed 2245.4 2,178,872 11/ 1939 Engstrom 273-32 3,119,163 1/ 1964 Merfeld 24--137 3,136,547 6/1964 Schaper 27332 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner,

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE FOR GOLFERS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CARRIER MEMBER HAVING A FRONT FACE AND A REVERSELY BENT CLIP STRUCTURE, A PERMANENT MAGNET SECURED TO SAID CARRIER MEMBER WITH PORTIONS THEREOF ADJACENT SAID FRONT FACE, SAID FRONT FACE INCLUDING A SHALLOW RECESS HAVING ONLY A PARTIAL RIM THEREAROUND WHEREBY TO PROVIDE A SIDE OPENING TO THE RECESS, AND AT LEAST ONE FLAT THIN POSITION MARKING ELEMENT COMPOSED OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL LYING ADJACENT SAID FRONT FACE RELEASABLY HELD IN PLACE ON SAID CARRIER MEMBER BY THE MAGNETIC ATTRACTION OF SAID MAGNET, SAID PARTIAL RIM AROUND SAID RECESS DEFINING A FRONT OPENING TO SAID RECESS, SAID FRONT OPENING HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL SHAPE AND SIZE GREATER THAN THAT OF THE SAID ELEMENT WHEREBY SAID ELEMENT CAN BE ENTERED INTO SAID RECESS THROUGH SAID FRONT OPENING, AND SAID SIDE OPENING HAVING A WIDTH SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID ELEMENT WHEREBY TO PERMIT SLIDING DISPLACEMENT OF THE ELEMENT FROM A CENTRAL POSITION IN THE RECESS THROUGH SAID OPENING AWAY FROM SAID MAGNET. 